PUBLIC SAFETY

Inside Towne and Terrace, an Indianapolis housing complex plagued by crime and violence

Jenna Watson
jenna.watson@indystar.com
At Towne and Terrace, a 1960s housing complex off of 42nd Street and Post Road, half of the deteriorating 222 units are empty or abandoned, as seen Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. Towne and Terrace is one of many housing providers that lowered prices to attract residents to the northeast side after the Fort Benjamin Harrison military base closed in 1991. The complex has since become concentrated with systematic crime and violence.
At Towne and Terrace, a 1960s housing complex off of 42nd Street and Post Road, half of the deteriorating 222 units are empty or abandoned, as seen Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. Towne and Terrace is one of many housing providers that lowered prices to attract residents to the northeast side after the Fort Benjamin Harrison military base closed in 1991. The complex has since become concentrated with systematic crime and violence.
Jenna Watson/IndyStar
Towne and Terrace housing complex off of 42nd Street and Post Road in Indianapolis, as seen from above on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2018.
Towne and Terrace housing complex off of 42nd Street and Post Road in Indianapolis, as seen from above on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2018.
Stpehen Beard And Joe Tamborello/IndyStar
The scene inside an abandoned unit on Essex Court, where the body of Anthony Eldridge was found in June 2018, at the Towne and Terrace housing complex off of 42nd Street and Post Road on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. At one point, a camera was mounted on the back of the building to keep watch for police entering the complex.
The scene inside an abandoned unit on Essex Court, where the body of Anthony Eldridge was found in June 2018, at the Towne and Terrace housing complex off of 42nd Street and Post Road on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. At one point, a camera was mounted on the back of the building to keep watch for police entering the complex.
Jenna Watson/IndyStar
An unidentified man tends to a fire in front of an abandoned unit on North Brentwood Drive at the Towne and Terrace housing complex off of 42nd Street and Post Road, on Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018. According to IMPD, people who are homeless often congregate in this area near the entrance of the complex.
An unidentified man tends to a fire in front of an abandoned unit on North Brentwood Drive at the Towne and Terrace housing complex off of 42nd Street and Post Road, on Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018. According to IMPD, people who are homeless often congregate in this area near the entrance of the complex.
Jenna Watson/IndyStar
At Towne and Terrace, a housing complex built in the 1960s off of 42nd Street and Post Road, half of the deteriorating 222 units are empty or abandoned, seen Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. As Fort Benjamin Harrison military base closed in 1991 and working-class residents left the area, housing providers lowered prices to attract people to the north-east side. Over time, the complex has become concentrated with systematic problems like drug-dealing and violence. Since 2013, seven criminal homicide victims have been found at the complex.
At Towne and Terrace, a housing complex built in the 1960s off of 42nd Street and Post Road, half of the deteriorating 222 units are empty or abandoned, seen Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. As Fort Benjamin Harrison military base closed in 1991 and working-class residents left the area, housing providers lowered prices to attract people to the north-east side. Over time, the complex has become concentrated with systematic problems like drug-dealing and violence. Since 2013, seven criminal homicide victims have been found at the complex.
Jenna Watson/IndyStar
IMPD officer Jeremy Torres patrols the Towne and Terrace housing complex off of 42nd Street and Post Road, on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. Over time, the deteriorating complex has become concentrated with systematic crime and violence. Since 2013, seven criminal homicide victims have been found at the complex.
IMPD officer Jeremy Torres patrols the Towne and Terrace housing complex off of 42nd Street and Post Road, on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. Over time, the deteriorating complex has become concentrated with systematic crime and violence. Since 2013, seven criminal homicide victims have been found at the complex.
Jenna Watson/IndyStar
India Coleman, a 31-year-old resident of the Towne and Terrace housing complex, sheds tears while talking about the violence she has seen in the years she has lived there, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. After a fatal shooting occurred just around the corner from her home in June, Coleman and her husband sent their two children to live with family in Beech Grove. ÒItÕs always money. ItÕs always drugs. ItÕs always violence,Ó Coleman said. ÒIÕm tired of seeing dead bodies getting found out here.Ó
India Coleman, a 31-year-old resident of the Towne and Terrace housing complex, sheds tears while talking about the violence she has seen in the years she has lived there, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. After a fatal shooting occurred just around the corner from her home in June, Coleman and her husband sent their two children to live with family in Beech Grove. ÒItÕs always money. ItÕs always drugs. ItÕs always violence,Ó Coleman said. ÒIÕm tired of seeing dead bodies getting found out here.Ó
Jenna Watson/IndyStar
At Towne and Terrace, a housing complex built in the 1960s off of 42nd Street and Post Road, half of the deteriorating 222 units are empty or abandoned, seen from North Brentwood Drive on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. As Fort Benjamin Harrison military base closed in 1991 and working-class residents left the area, housing providers lowered prices to attract people to the north-east side. Over time, the complex has become concentrated with systematic problems like drug-dealing and violence. Since 2013, seven criminal homicide victims have been found at the complex.
At Towne and Terrace, a housing complex built in the 1960s off of 42nd Street and Post Road, half of the deteriorating 222 units are empty or abandoned, seen from North Brentwood Drive on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. As Fort Benjamin Harrison military base closed in 1991 and working-class residents left the area, housing providers lowered prices to attract people to the north-east side. Over time, the complex has become concentrated with systematic problems like drug-dealing and violence. Since 2013, seven criminal homicide victims have been found at the complex.
Jenna Watson/IndyStar
From left, Sgt. Aaron Sparks and IMPD officer Jeremy Torres stand outside of an abandoned unit on Essex Court where the body of Anthony Eldridge was found in June 2018, at the Towne and Terrace housing complex off of 42nd Street and Post Road, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. At one point, a camera was mounted on the back of the building to keep watch for police entering the complex.
From left, Sgt. Aaron Sparks and IMPD officer Jeremy Torres stand outside of an abandoned unit on Essex Court where the body of Anthony Eldridge was found in June 2018, at the Towne and Terrace housing complex off of 42nd Street and Post Road, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. At one point, a camera was mounted on the back of the building to keep watch for police entering the complex.
Jenna Watson/IndyStar
At Towne and Terrace, a housing complex built in the 1960s off of 42nd Street and Post Road, half of the deteriorating 222 units are empty or abandoned, seen Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. As Fort Benjamin Harrison military base closed in 1991 and working-class residents left the area, housing providers lowered prices to attract people to the north-east side. Over time, the complex has become concentrated with systematic problems like drug-dealing and violence. Since 2013, seven criminal homicide victims have been found at the complex.
At Towne and Terrace, a housing complex built in the 1960s off of 42nd Street and Post Road, half of the deteriorating 222 units are empty or abandoned, seen Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. As Fort Benjamin Harrison military base closed in 1991 and working-class residents left the area, housing providers lowered prices to attract people to the north-east side. Over time, the complex has become concentrated with systematic problems like drug-dealing and violence. Since 2013, seven criminal homicide victims have been found at the complex.
Jenna Watson/IndyStar
At Towne and Terrace, a housing complex built in the 1960s off of 42nd Street and Post Road, half of the deteriorating 222 units are empty or abandoned, seen Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. As Fort Benjamin Harrison military base closed in 1991 and working-class residents left the area, housing providers lowered prices to attract people to the north-east side. Over time, the complex has become concentrated with systematic problems like drug-dealing and violence. Since 2013, seven criminal homicide victims have been found at the complex.
At Towne and Terrace, a housing complex built in the 1960s off of 42nd Street and Post Road, half of the deteriorating 222 units are empty or abandoned, seen Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. As Fort Benjamin Harrison military base closed in 1991 and working-class residents left the area, housing providers lowered prices to attract people to the north-east side. Over time, the complex has become concentrated with systematic problems like drug-dealing and violence. Since 2013, seven criminal homicide victims have been found at the complex.
Jenna Watson/IndyStar
At Towne and Terrace, a housing complex built in the 1960s off of 42nd Street and Post Road, half of the deteriorating 222 units are empty or abandoned, seen Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. As Fort Benjamin Harrison military base closed in 1991 and working-class residents left the area, housing providers lowered prices to attract people to the north-east side. Over time, the complex has become concentrated with systematic problems like drug-dealing and violence. Since 2013, seven criminal homicide victims have been found at the complex.
At Towne and Terrace, a housing complex built in the 1960s off of 42nd Street and Post Road, half of the deteriorating 222 units are empty or abandoned, seen Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. As Fort Benjamin Harrison military base closed in 1991 and working-class residents left the area, housing providers lowered prices to attract people to the north-east side. Over time, the complex has become concentrated with systematic problems like drug-dealing and violence. Since 2013, seven criminal homicide victims have been found at the complex.
Jenna Watson/IndyStar
The scene inside an abandoned unit on Essex Court where the body of Anthony Eldridge was found in June 2018, at the Towne and Terrace housing complex off of 42nd Street and Post Road, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. At one point, a camera was mounted on the back of the building to keep watch for police entering the complex.
The scene inside an abandoned unit on Essex Court where the body of Anthony Eldridge was found in June 2018, at the Towne and Terrace housing complex off of 42nd Street and Post Road, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. At one point, a camera was mounted on the back of the building to keep watch for police entering the complex.
Jenna Watson/IndyStar
At Towne and Terrace, a housing complex built in the 1960s off of 42nd Street and Post Road, half of the deteriorating 222 units are empty or abandoned, seen Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. As Fort Benjamin Harrison military base closed in 1991 and working-class residents left the area, housing providers lowered prices to attract people to the north-east side. Over time, the complex has become concentrated with systematic problems like drug-dealing and violence. Since 2013, seven criminal homicide victims have been found at the complex.
At Towne and Terrace, a housing complex built in the 1960s off of 42nd Street and Post Road, half of the deteriorating 222 units are empty or abandoned, seen Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. As Fort Benjamin Harrison military base closed in 1991 and working-class residents left the area, housing providers lowered prices to attract people to the north-east side. Over time, the complex has become concentrated with systematic problems like drug-dealing and violence. Since 2013, seven criminal homicide victims have been found at the complex.
Jenna Watson/IndyStar